Abstract: Deep convection has been an increasing focus of the many sub-disciplines of atmospheric science. Linkages between convection and climate through chemistry, radiation, and hydrometeorological extremes have driven much of this expansion. My group’s work at OU for the past 3 years has been primarily focused on characteristics of and processes occurring near the storm top within deep convection. Phenomena of interest include overshooting tops and above-anvil cirrus plumes (and the gravity wave breaking process responsible for their occurrence), which we have been analyzing using a suite of high-resolution radar observations, satellite observations, and numerical models. In this talk, I will discuss recent work aimed at improving our understanding of stratospheric hydration from convection and the resulting potential for stratospheric ozone destruction. I will also summarize efforts that have been underway to determine the value of storm top observations to severe storm identification and short-term forecasting (with an emphasis on tornadoes).